Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The Law and "Little People"

Here's one for the Leona Helmsley award for "Defending the Law to keep 'Little People' in their place".

First, you need to remember that Leona Helmsley made that acute observation about how the legal system is meant to be run for the rich and 'important' people: "We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes...".

Consider this case reported in the Mirror where the UK's Home Office minister Baroness Neville-Jones, in charge of national security, was outraged that anti-terror laws would be applied to an exalted personage such as herself. Obviously the security staff at Heathrow airport didn't get the memo with the fine print saying "these security measures only apply to 'the little people'".

This kind of legal harassment should never be applied to 'very special people' like herself!

Terror chief tries to board plane with banned liquids

Baroness Neville-Jones rants at airport security

Britain's anti-terror chief launched an astonishing attack on airport security staff after they stopped her taking a banned amount of liquid onto a plane.

Home Office minister Baroness Neville-Jones, in charge of national security, was en route to a Washington summit when she was found to have an over-sized aerosol can in her bag.

Strict rules for the amount of fluids permitted in hand luggage were introduced in 2006 after al-Qaeda plotters came close to blowing up seven aircraft in mid-air using liquid explosives hidden in drink bottles.

Since then only liquids of less than 100ml have been permitted in cabin bags on all flights from British and US airports.

The Baroness was ticked off by border staff, who did not recognise her. But she took offence when they told her how important security is.

The 71-year-old Baroness, known for being haughty, ranted: “Of course I know how important it is, I’m the Security Minister.”

Ironically, the former head of the British Joint Intelligence Committee was on her way to discuss the war on terror with US security chiefs.

Thank goodness she has clarified the matter: All those nasty security theatre impositions are meant only for 'the little people'.

Only the little people have the time or patience to put up with such an ineffectual, intrusive, idiotic system. I think the big shots get quite a laugh as they layer on more and more impositions on the little people. The bored upper classes can entertain themselves watching their minions continue to burden the lives of 'little people' in ever more exotic ways because it can all be done in the name of "security". I keep waiting to hear about the first "frequent flyer" who becomes "glow in the dark" from all the x-rays from these new scanners in all the airports. This scheme will ensure that frequent flyers are truly safe... safe and dead from radiation overdoses.